Konro Soup — South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Konro soup is a dark, richly spiced rib soup, its broth colored deep brown-black almost entirely by ground keluwak nuts rather than any added coloring. Beef ribs or spareribs are its usual main ingredient, simmered until the meat is tender enough to pull easily from the bone, and the soup is eaten hot with rice or with cut pieces of ketupat or burasa on the side. It is reported from South Sulawesi and is closely tied to the Makassarese people of the region, where it is served in dedicated konro stalls and restaurants as well as at home. It sits among the well-known dishes associated with Makassar and its surrounding area. To prepare it, ribs are first boiled or simmered in water until tender, while a spice paste is prepared separately from ingredients such as coriander seed, keluwak flesh, a little grated nutmeg, turmeric, galangal, cinnamon, tamarind, lemongrass, clove, and salam leaf. This paste is fried briefly to release its aroma, then added to the simmering ribs along with the cooking liquid, and the soup is left to simmer further so the meat absorbs the spices and the broth deepens in color and flavor. Cooks vary the amount of keluwak used, which affects how dark and how strongly earthy the broth becomes, as well as the balance of tamarind sourness against the sweetness of the spices. Some prepare it as a thick, almost stew-like soup close to the meat, while others keep it thinner and more brothy, and the choice of rice, ketupat, or burasa as the accompaniment differs by household and region.